The cozy candles, delightful decorations and fabulous food may make the holidays happy – but they all come with an increased risk of fire.
Something that’s a fire risk all year round is cooking – and the risk is even greater during the holidays.
“You have friends and family over for the holidays and you’re cooking big meals. Cooking and leaving things unattended is always a big hazard,” said Naperville Fire Marshal Scott Scheller.
So even if you’ve got friends over while you’re cooking, make sure you keep an eye on what’s going on in the kitchen.
Other things to never leave unattended are candles. The little flame can become a big fire if you don’t keep a watchful eye on it.
“The biggest reason that candles cause fires is because people forget that they’re using them,” explained Scheller. “The flame will eventually burn down until there’s nothing left and then it burns right into the countertop.”
And finally, a live Christmas tree may be a beautiful part of your decorations – but make sure you keep it watered, and get rid of it before it becomes a giant piece of firewood.
“If you start seeing needles fall off in your hand, it means there’s a lack of water and it’s more of a hazard,” said Scheller.
And don’t forget to turn those lights off before you head to bed.
One last tip: this is a great time of year to check and make sure all of your home’s smoke detectors are working properly.
Naperville News 17’s Blane Erwin reports.
